Arrow fletching apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for securing plural vanes on an arrow shaft. Each of the vanes has an elongate fin and a flared base adapted to be glued to the shaft. The apparatus includes a support on which the arrow is mounted for axial travel along a path. Angularly spaced about the path are plural adhesive applicators and associated vane carriers. The applicators are actuatable to apply adhesive to axially extending angularly spaced regions on the shaft. Each carrier has a slot dimensioned to exclude and to receive releasably the base and fin of a vane, respectively. After application of adhesive to the shaft, the carriers and vanes mounted releasably thereon are shifted toward the shaft to place the bases of the vanes firmly against adhesive-coated regions on the shaft. After adhesive set-up, the carriers are moved away from the shaft to disengage the vanes.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

The present invention relates to apparatus for placing vanes on an arrow shaft.

Problems inherent in making vaned arrows have held back automated manufacturing thereof. A chief problem is obtaining correct placement and orientation of the vanes on the arrow shaft. Commonly, this problem has been solved by the use of elaborate jigs which are not readily adaptable to automated operation.

One general object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for securing vanes to an arrow shaft in an automated manner.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide in such apparatus means for applying adhesive to selected regions on an arrow shaft prior to the securing of vanes thereto.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such apparatus which can accommodate vanes of different sizes.

The apparatus of the invention, according to a preferred embodiment, includes support means for releasably supporting an arrow shaft. With an arrow shaft placed in the support means, the support means is actuatable to move the shaft axially along a path finally to place the shaft in a vane-applying station where the shaft is properly positioned for the applying of vanes to its periphery. Disposed at angularly-spaced intervals about the path in which the shaft moves are plural adhesive applicators which are actuatable to apply adhesive to angularly-spaced regions on the shaft prior to the shaft reaching the vane-applying station. With the shaft in the vane-applying station, carriers which are distributed about the periphery of the shaft, and which are adapted to support vanes are shifted radially inwardly toward the shaft to press vanes against the adhesively coated shaft regions.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent when the following detailed description of the invention is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of apparatus constructed according to the present invention, with portions broken away and simplified;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, with parts removed for simplicity;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of an arrow shaft support in the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along line 4--4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of parts of the apparatus, taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of adhesive applicators in the apparatus, seen from the same perspective as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the tops of vane carriers in the apparatus, showing them in alternate positions; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a vane usable in the apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus of the present invention functions to secure plural vanes, such as a vane 10 seen in FIG. 8, to an arrow shaft, such as shaft 12 shown fragmentarily by dash-dot lines in FIG. 2. Shaft 12 is preferably cylindrical and formed of wood, aluminum tubing or the like. The shaft has at its lower end (opposite the tip end of the shaft) a nock 14 having formed therein a groove designed to receive a bow string.

Referring to FIG. 8, vane 10 is composed of an elongate fin 16, which is flared at its lower edge in FIG. 8 to form an elongate base 18. As seen best in FIG. 7, the base of such a vane has a shaft-confronting side which is concave to conform to an axially extending region on an arrow shaft. Vane 10 preferably is formed of a molded polymeric material, such as polyvinyl. The shaft-confronting side in the vane may be coated with a suitable sealant which is cobondable with both the polymeric material making up the vane and the adhesive used in attaching the vane to the shaft.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, apparatus constructed according to the present invention is indicated generally at 20. The apparatus includes a table 22 forming part of the frame of the apparatus which is normally suitably supported above the ground. Secured to the top of the table and projecting outwardly therefrom are legs, such as leg 24, and suitably fastened to the upper extremities of these legs is a platform 26. As viewed in FIG. 1, platform 26 has a substantially circular outline.

A metal pad structure 28 extends through a suitable hole made approximately centrally in platform 26 and is suitably joined to the platform. Supported by the pad structure and extending from an end located above the platform downwardly through a hole 30 provided in table 22 is an elongate pipe 32. Extending along a side of the pipe is an elongate slot 34.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, in axial alignment with the pipe and secured to its bottom end is the cylinder 36 of a ram generally designated at 38. The ram has a rod 40 which extends into the interior of pipe 32. The upper end of the rod has formed thereon a projection 42 for securing the nock in an arrow shaft. Extension of the ram serves to shift the upper end of the rod upwardly from a retracted position shown in FIG. 3 to an extended position shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, secured to and projecting upwardly from platform 26 is a post 44. A rod 46 is mounted on the top of the post, and carried at an end of the rod is shaft guide 48. As probably best illustrated in FIG. 1, the shaft guide includes an outer semi-cylindrical member 50 which is suitably joined to the end of rod 46. Seated within this member is a horseshoe-shaped elastomer element 52. The ends of this element are deformable away from each other to accomodate the lateral insertion of an arrow shaft within the confines of the element. The guide is elevated above the upper end of pipe 32, with the interior of the guide axially aligned with the pipe.

What has just been described constitutes support means for an arrow shaft which is to be subjected to a vaning operation. A shaft, to prepare it for the applying of vanes thereto, and with the rod of ram 38 retracted, is placed with its nock end within the interior of pipe 32 and with the nock in the arrow fitting over projection 42. This serves to prevent the arrow shaft from rotating and also properly orients the shaft for the reception of vanes. An upper region of the shaft is fitted within guide 48. To place the shaft in the position it occupies when vanes are actually applied thereto, ram 38 is extended. This moves rod 40 upwardly, with the shaft supported on the end of the rod advancing axially upwardly along a path, indicated by a dash-dot line at 53 in FIG. 2. Shaft 12 is shown in approximately its vane-receiving position in FIG. 2. The shaft extends from the nock end upwardly through guide 48, upper portions of the shaft having been removed in the figure.

As shaft 12 travels upwardly, but before the shaft reaches its van-receiving position, a liquid adhesive is applied to axially extending regions on the shaft which are to receive the vanes. In the apparatus described herein, it is contemplated to secure vanes at three substantially equal angularly spaced, axially extending regions on the shaft, adjacent the shaft's nock. Adhesive is applied to the shaft, as it travels upwardly, by three applicators, indicated in FIGS. 1 and 6 at 54, 56, 58. For simplicity, applicators 56, 58 are illustrated somewhat schematically in FIG. 1, and not shown in FIG. 2. As can be appreciated in FIGS. 1 and 6, the three applicators are positioned adjacent shaft 12, when the latter is supported in the apparatus, at three substantially equal angularly spaced intervals thereabout.

The applicators will be described with reference to applicator 54, which is representative. As seen best in FIGS. 2 and 5, this applicator includes a nozzle 60 mounted on the upper end of a Z-shaped bracket 62, which is secured at its lower end in FIG. 2 to platform 26, in a manner to be described.

Compressed air is supplied to nozzle 60 through an air-supply tube 66 connected to the nozzle's left end in FIG. 2. Conventional valving (not shown) is used in controlling the supply of compressed air to nozzle 60 from a compressed air source (not shown). Compressed air supplied to the nozzle is directed through an aperture in the nozzle's right end in FIG. 2, radially toward path 53, as indicated in FIG. 6. Nozzle 60 is also referred to herebelow as means for directing a stream of air radially toward path 53.

With continued reference to FIGS. 2 and 5, a bottle 68 held on bracket 62 by a clamp 70 contains a liquid adhesive which is to be applied to a vane-receiving region on a shaft. A conduit 72 extending into the bottle as shown is connected, at its upper end in this figure, to a needle 74 whose upper open end is disposed adjacent and immediately below the path of air discharged from nozzle 60. It can be appreciated that as air is discharged across the top of the needle, a vacuum is produced in conduit 72 which draws adhesive toward the upper end of the needle. Here the adhesive is mixed with the stream of air and sprayed against the shaft. Bottle 68 and the liquid adhesive contained therein is also referred to herebelow as a source of liquid adhesive. The just-mentioned source, nozzle 60, and conduit 72 interconnecting the two are also referred to herebelow, collectively, as applicator means.

As can be seen best in FIG. 1, a lower foot 75 of bracket 62 is carried in a radially extending groove 76 (FIG. 1) formed in platform 26. A clamp 77 which engages foot 75 is used in clamping applicator 54 at a desired radial position with respect to path 53.

When the shaft in the apparatus is moved fully upwardly to its vane-receiving position (the position shown in FIG. 2), vanes are applied to the axially extending regions on the shaft to which adhesive material has been applied by the applicators just described. Vanes, such as vane 10 described above with reference to FIG. 8, are carried by the apparatus to positions against the glued portions of the shaft by three carriers indicated at 78, 80, 82 in FIGS. 1 and 7. Carriers 78, 80, 82 which are arranged at substantially equal angularly spaced intervals about the shaft in the apparatus, are associated with applicators 54, 56, 58, respectively. For simplicity, carriers 80, 82 are shown somewhat schematically in FIG. 1, and not shown in FIG. 2.

Carrier 78 is mounted on a chair-like bracket 84 seen best in FIG. 2. A nut-and-bolt combination is used in securing the bracket at a desired position with respect to a groove 86 in which the bracket rides (FIG. 1). The bracket includes an upright post 88 which terminates at its upper end in FIGS. 2 and 5 in a socket 90.

Carrier 78, which is representative, is composed of an elongate arm 92 which is mounted, adjacent its right end in FIGS. 1 and 2, on socket 90 for pivoting with respect thereto about an axis indicated by dash-dot line 94 in FIG. 1. Axis 94 is perpendicular to the direction of adhesive spray from associated applicator 54. Integrally formed with arm 92, adjacent its right end in FIGS. 1 and 2, is a pair of substantially upright prongs 96, 98. As seen best in FIG. 5, these prongs extend side-by-side along their lengths, forming therebetween an elongate slot 100. As seen in FIG. 1, slot 100 is angularly aligned with the region on shaft 12 to which adhesive is applied by applicator 54. With reference particularly to FIG. 7, the slot is dimensioned to receive releasably therein the fin of a vane, such as fin 16 of vane 10, with the fin's base portion 18 abutting, but being excluded from, the right side of the slot in FIG. 7.

The left end region of arm 92 in FIG. 2 is pivotally connected to a rod 108 of a ram 110 whose lower end in FIG. 2 is pivotally mounted on a lower portion of bracket 84 shown. Ordinarily, ram 110 is spring biased toward a retracted position (not shown). At this position, prongs 96, 98 are angularly spaced from a shaft in the apparatus at positions indicated by dash-dot lines in FIGS. 2 and 7. Extension of ram 110, by supply of compressed air thereto, produces shifting of the carrier to place the prongs in an upright position against the shaft, as shown by solid lines in FIGS. 2 and 7. As seen in best FIG. 7, in the latter position, the base of a fin held in the carrier is pressed against an axially extending region on the shaft. Ram 110 is also referred to herebelow as shifting means.

Operation of apparatus 20 will now be described. Initially, rod 40 is placed in its lowered position, shown in FIG. 3. A shaft, such as shaft 12, is placed in the apparatus with its lower portion extending into the opening in pipe 32 and with the shaft nock being placed over projection 42. As noted above, the shaft is now angularly positioned in the apparatus for the reception of vanes at the shaft regions indicated in FIG. 7.

Vanes, such as vane 10 in FIG. 7, are releasably mounted on the three carriers by inserting the fins of the vanes releasably into the slots in associated carriers, and moving the vanes downwardly until the lower vane ends (corresponding to the right end of vane 10 in FIG. 7) abut the lower ends of the associated slots.

Ram 38 is actuated, by supplying compressed air thereto, to effect upward travel of rod 40 at a controlled rate. As the shaft travels upwardly the upper ends of the vane-receiving regions on the shaft pass applicators 54, 56 and 58. At this instant, the three applicators are actuated simultaneously, by supplying compressed air thereto. This produces, in the manner indicated above, streams of compressed air and liquid adhesive directed against the regions on the shaft to which the vanes are to be secured. Application of liquid adhesive to the vane to the shaft continues, as the shaft travels upwardly, until the lower ends of the vane-receiving regions on the shaft pass the three applicators. Here the three applicators are switched off by terminating supply of compressed air thereto.

When shaft 12 reaches its uppermost position, shown in FIG. 2, the three vane carriers are activated. This is done by supplying compressed air to the rams associated with the carriers, such as ram 110 associated with carrier 78. The prongs in each carrier are thereby moved from positions angularly spaced from the shaft to positions wherein the bases of vanes held in the prongs are pressed tightly against the vane-receiving regions of the shaft, as illustrated in FIG. 7. It is noted here the vanes held in the three carriers are pressed against the shaft, by the three carrier rams, with substantially equal radial forces. As can be appreciated in FIG. 7, a substantially balanced radial force condition in the shaft results.

The carriers are maintained in their vane-attaching positions, through continued supply of compressed air to the associated rams, for a period sufficient to produce initial adhesive set-up, to bond the vanes to the shaft. After such set-up, the rams are exhausted to shift to carriers away from the shaft, wherein the vanes, now bonded to the shaft, are disengaged from the carriers.

The above-described operations, including actuation of the applicators and the carriers as the shaft is moved upwardly to desired positions by the support means in the apparatus, may be executed manually. Alternatively, the operations may be executed automatically by switching apparatus now to be described.

Looking at FIG. 3, there is shown portions of the support means, including pipe 32 and ram 38, which is located below platform 26. Attached to the pipe, at longitudinally spaced positions between structure 28 and ram 38, are three micro-switches, 116, 118 and 120. Each of the switches is mounted on pipe 32 by a horseshoe-shaped element which is clamped at a desired position on the pipe by an allen screw. The element mounting switch 116 on pipe 32 is indicated at 122 in FIG. 3, and the screw associated with this element, as 123. Switch arms 124, 126 and 128 associated with switches 116, 118 and 120, respectively, are movable, conventionally, against a biasing spring in the switch, to change the condition of the associated switch.

The switch arms are activated, at selected positions of rod 40, by a pair of elongate fingers 130, 132 carried on the rod. With reference to FIG. 4, the two fingers are attached, as by welding, adjacent the free end of a plate 134 which extends through slot 34 in pipe 32, with the other end of the plate being attached, as by welding, to rod 40.

Considering operation of the switching apparatus just described, initially both fingers 130, 132 are disposed below the switch arms, as seen. During a vane operation, as rod 40 travels upwardly finger 132 contacts and moves switch arm 128 to change the condition of switch 120. This signals a control unit (not shown) which in turn acts on suitable valving apparatus (not shown), to initiate supply of compressed air to the three applicators in the apparatus. These events occur at a position of rod 40 which places the upper ends of the van-receiving regions in shaft 12 horizontally adjacent the applicators.

Continued movement of rod 40 upwardly brings finger 130 initially into contact with switch arm 126 to change the condition of associated switch 118, and subsequently out of contact with the switch arm to return the switch to its initial condition. The latter change in the switch condition signals, through the above-mentioned control unit, termination of compressed air to the three applicators in the apparatus. Such occurs at a position of rod 40 wherein the lower ends of the vane-receiving regions in shaft 12 are located adjacent the applicators. It can be appreciated from the foregoing that switches 118, 120 provide means for actuating the applicators when the shaft is at preselected positions with respect thereto.

As rod 40 approaches its uppermost position, shown in FIG. 2, the lower curved portion of finger 130 contacts switch arm 124 in switch 116 to change the condition of that switch. This signals, through the above-mentioned control unit, supply of compressed air to the three rams controlling carriers 78, 80, 82. The carriers are thereby moved simultaneously to their positions effecting placement of the bases of the vanes against the adhesive-containing regions on the shaft. After a suitable time interval to allow for adhesive set-up, the control unit noted above terminates the supply of compressed air to the carrier rams, releasing the carriers from the vanes in the manner noted above. Switch 116 is also referred to herebelow as means for actuating the carrier rams when the shaft is at its vane-receiving position.

From the above, it can be appreciated how various objects of the present invention are met. Apparatus described herein is operable to apply adhesive to selected axially extending regions on an arrow shaft and to affix vanes to such regions, with such being accomplished quickly and automatically. The positioning of the vanes on an arrow shaft is precise and uniform. The apparatus can be adjusted easily to accommodate arrow shafts having different diameters, by adjusting the radial positions of the three carriers with respect to the shaft. In securing the vanes on an arrow shaft, the apparatus presses the vanes against angularly spaced regions on the shaft to produce substantially balanced radial forces therein. This allows each vane to be pressed forcefully against the shaft without danger of shaft breaking or bending, and further ensures that the three vanes will be evenly secured to the shaft.

While a preferred embodiment of the apparatus has been described herein, it is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. 

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:
 1. Apparatus for securing on an arrow shaft, a vane having a fin and a flared base, said apparatus comprisingsupport means for releasably supporting a shaft in an upright position, a carrier for holding a vane disposed laterally of a shaft supported in said support means, said carrier having an elongate, upright slot dimensioned to releasably receive the fin of a vane, while excluding the base of the vane, said slot having an open top accommodating downward insertion of the fin of a vane therein and a closed end limiting downward movement of the fin of a vane, said carrier being shiftable toward and away from a position where the base of a vane whose fin is releasably received in said slot is pressed against an axially extending region on a shaft supported in said support means, and shifting means for shifting said carrier.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 which includes at least three carriers disposed laterally of a shaft supported in said support means, said carriers being mounted at angularly spaced intervals about said shaft, and wherein said shifting means is actuatable to shift said carriers in unison toward and away from positions where the vanes which are releasably received in said carriers are pressed against said shaft in a manner which produces substantially balanced radial forces in said shaft.
 3. The apparatus of claims 1 or 2, wherein said support means is operable to move said shaft axially along a path.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 which further includes means for actuating said shifting means when said shaft is at a preselected position along said path.
 5. Apparatus for securing on an arrow shaft, a vane having a fin and a flared base, said apparatus comprisingsupport means for releasably supporting a shaft, operable to move said shaft axially along a path, applicator means mounted adjacent said path and actuatable to apply adhesive to an axially extending region of a shaft supported in said support means, means for actuating said applicator means when said shaft is at a preselected position on said shaft, a carrier for holding a vane disposed laterally of a shaft supported in said support means, said carrier having an elongate slot dimensioned to exclude and receive releasably therein, the base and fin, respectively, of a vane, said carrier being shiftable toward and away from a position where the base of the vane whose fin is releasably received in said slot is pressed against an axially extending region on a shaft supported in said support means, and shifting means for shifting said carrier.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said applicator means includes a source of liquid adhesive, a conduit having a lower end communicating with said source and an upper open end, and means for directing a stream of compressed gas across said upper end, to create a partial vacuum in said conduit.
 7. Apparatus for securing on an arrow shaft, at each of three axially extending and substantially equally angularly spaced regions thereon, a vane having a fin and a flared base, said apparatus comprisingsupport means for releasably supporting such shaft and advancing the same axially along a path, applicator means mounted adjacent said path and actuatable to apply adhesive to such shaft regions, means for actuating said applicator means when the shaft is at a preselected position along said path, carrier means including three carriers, each having an elongate a slot dimensioned to exclude and receive releasably the base and fin, respectively, of such a vane, shifting means actuatable to shift said carriers toward and away from positions wherein the bases of vanes whose fins are releasably received in said slots are pressed against said shaft regions, and means for actuating said shifting means when such shaft is at a preselected position along said path.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said shifting means, with said carriers moved toward the shaft and such fin bases pressed against such shaft, applies substantially balanced radial forces to such shaft. 